Influence of Depositional and Diagenetic Processes on Caprock Properties of CO2 Storage Sites in the Northern North Sea, Offshore Norway

publishedVersio

Insights into past tectonism from authigenic quartz

Authigenic quartz grains carry information that is diagnostic for the thermal history and thereby the burial depth and uplift of sediments. Recycled quartz grains with embayed or rounded authigenic remnants have been observed globally, but the value of these grains in unravelling past tectonism is presently underexplored. In this study, we launch a new method to demonstrate that cathodoluminescence (CL) in combination with fluid inclusion data and textural characteristics of authigenic quartz can provide important information about past tectonic activity. Vital in the method is the realisation that recycled quartz grains can be distinguished from other quartz grains by their geochemical CL fingerprint, allowing tracking of uplifted source terrains in a direction towards higher fractions of the recycled grains. Furthermore, regional mapping can reveal both intra-basinal recycling as well as recycled grains transported into the basin from external sources. The new proposed method is simple and does not require more than a standard Scanning Electron Microscope equipped with a CL detector, available at many geoscientific institutions worldwide. This innovative approach applies to a wide section of geoscientific disciplines, and complement and supplement other conventional methods used for unravelling past tectonism.publishedVersio

Tectonostratigraphic development of the Upper Triassic to Middle Jurassic in the Hoop Area, Barents Sea: Implications for understanding ultra-condensed reservoir units

The most prolific reservoir intervals in the Barents Sea are found in the Upper Triassic to Middle Jurassic Realgrunnen Subgroup, deposited during a major change in the structural evolution of the basin which greatly influenced its development and distribution. The effects are evident in one of the petroleum provinces in the SW Barents Sea, the Hoop Area. Due to the condensed nature of the succession, the tectonostratigraphic evolution has been enigmatic. We use a range of different methods and dataset, including high-resolution P-Cable seismic to determine the tectono-stratigraphic evolution of the succession. Results are important for exploration and production in the Hoop Area and beyond, but also for a broader understanding of how ultra-condensed successions might evolve during long periods of non-deposition and short bursts of deposition. Seven major phases of deposition and non-deposition/erosion are defined. Stage 1 represents fluvio-deltaic deposition in the Fruholmen Formation (Norian), followed by Stage 2 with significant truncation and non-deposition, lasting up to 35 million years. Deposition resumed with the shallow marine to fluvial Nordmela and Stø formations (Pliensbachian to Bajocian), which both encapsule long periods of erosion and non-deposition (stage 3–6). Stage 7 is represented by transgression and shelf deposition in the Fuglen Formation (Bathonian). The change from a high-accommodation setting with continuous and relatively high rate of accumulation in the Triassic, to a low-accommodation setting with episodic deposition and extensive sediment cannibalization in the Jurassic, resulted in cleaner sandstones with better reservoir properties. The low-accommodation setting also enabled coarse-graded detritus from hinterlands in Fennoscandia to prograde into distal part of the basin and more amalgamation of the sands during the Jurassic. Adversely, the low accommodation setting also caused a fragmented pattern of deposition and preservation that needs to be carefully considered in subsurface datasets, often with limited resolution.publishedVersio

Effects of stress reduction on geomechanical and acoustic relationship of overconsolidated sands

Relationship between different geomechanical and acoustic properties measured from seven laboratory tested unconsolidated natural sands with different mineralogical compositions and textures were presented. The samples were compacted in the uniaxial strain configuration from 0.5 up to 30 MPa effective stress. Each sand sample was subjected to three loading – unloading cycles to study the influence of stress reduction. Geomechanical, elastic, and acoustic parameters are different between normal compaction and overconsolidation (unloaded and reloaded). Stress path (K0) data differs between normal consolidated and overconsolidated sediments. The K0 value of approximately 0.5 is founded for most of the normal consolidated sands, but varies during unloading depending on mineral compositions and textural differences. The K0 and Overconsolidation Ratio (OCR) relation can be further simplified and can be influenced by the material compositions. K0 can be used to estimate horizontal stress for drilling applications. The relationship between acoustic velocity and geomechanical is also found to be different between loading and unloading conditions. The static moduli of the overconsolidated sands are much higher than normal consolidated sands as the deformation is small (small strain). The correlation between dynamic and static elastic moduli is stronger for an overconsolidation stage than for a normal consolidation stage. The results of this study can contribute to geomechanical and acoustic dataset which can be applied for many seismic‐geomechanics applications in shallow sands where mechanical compaction is the dominant mechanism.Effects of stress reduction on geomechanical and acoustic relationship of overconsolidated sandspublishedVersio

Compaction, rock physics and rock properties of sandstones of the Stø Formation: Case study of five wells from the south-western Barents Sea, Norway

Five wells containing Lower-Middle Jurassic sandstones of Stø Formation from the Hammerfest Basin (7120/9–1, 7121/7–1), the Ringvassøy-Loppa Fault Complex (7119/12–1, 7119/12–4) and the Troms-Finnmark Fault Complex (7019/1-1) in the Barents Sea area are considered in this study. The Stø Formation sandstones contain dominantly very fine-to medium-grained quartz arenites with occasional coarse-grained sandstone layers. Feldspathic and quartz wackes are also present. The effect of compaction and exhumation on reservoir properties (porosity and permeability) and seismic property (P-wave velocity) of these sandstones have been investigated. Source of quartz cement has also been investigated. Forty polished thin sections embedded in blue epoxy were studied using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and cathodoluminiscence. Bulk mineralogy was also analysed using X-ray diffraction. The studied sandstones have experienced Cenozoic exhumation ranging between 820 and 1050 m. P-wave velocity is higher; porosities and permeabilities are lower in the western wells (7019/1-1, 7119/12–1 and 7119/12–4) compared to the eastern wells (7120/9–1 and 7121/7–1). Rock physics models and diagnostics show that the western wells are diagenetically more mature, stiffer, more compacted and more cemented than the eastern wells. These trends are attributed largely to difference in burial history from the east to the west and less to textural variations. Quartz cement is the most important authigenic mineral in these sandstones. Quartz cement in the western well (7119/12–1) is predominantly derived from clay-induced dissolution at macrostylolites whereas the eastern wells (7120/9–1 and 7121/7–1) are mostly sourced from clay-induced dissolution at grain contacts or microstylolites. While cementational porosity loss dominates in the western wells, compactional porosity loss dominates in the eastern wells. Compaction can reduce porosities down to 26% and this might be the reason for better porosity preservation and reservoir quality in the eastern wells than in the western wells.publishedVersio

Compaction, rock physics and rock properties of sandstones of the Stø Formation: Case study of five wells from the south-western Barents Sea, Norway

Five wells containing Lower-Middle Jurassic sandstones of Stø Formation from the Hammerfest Basin (7120/9–1, 7121/7–1), the Ringvassøy-Loppa Fault Complex (7119/12–1, 7119/12–4) and the Troms-Finnmark Fault Complex (7019/1-1) in the Barents Sea area are considered in this study. The Stø Formation sandstones contain dominantly very fine-to medium-grained quartz arenites with occasional coarse-grained sandstone layers. Feldspathic and quartz wackes are also present. The effect of compaction and exhumation on reservoir properties (porosity and permeability) and seismic property (P-wave velocity) of these sandstones have been investigated. Source of quartz cement has also been investigated. Forty polished thin sections embedded in blue epoxy were studied using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and cathodoluminiscence. Bulk mineralogy was also analysed using X-ray diffraction. The studied sandstones have experienced Cenozoic exhumation ranging between 820 and 1050 m. P-wave velocity is higher; porosities and permeabilities are lower in the western wells (7019/1-1, 7119/12–1 and 7119/12–4) compared to the eastern wells (7120/9–1 and 7121/7–1). Rock physics models and diagnostics show that the western wells are diagenetically more mature, stiffer, more compacted and more cemented than the eastern wells. These trends are attributed largely to difference in burial history from the east to the west and less to textural variations. Quartz cement is the most important authigenic mineral in these sandstones. Quartz cement in the western well (7119/12–1) is predominantly derived from clay-induced dissolution at macrostylolites whereas the eastern wells (7120/9–1 and 7121/7–1) are mostly sourced from clay-induced dissolution at grain contacts or microstylolites. While cementational porosity loss dominates in the western wells, compactional porosity loss dominates in the eastern wells. Compaction can reduce porosities down to 26% and this might be the reason for better porosity preservation and reservoir quality in the eastern wells than in the western wells.publishedVersio

Transmission electron microscopy of authigenic layer-silicates from offshore Norway

Computer simulations of one-dimensional lattice finge images of various authigenic illites and chlorites indicate several possibilities for misinterpretation of High Resolution Electron Microscopy images of layer silicates. Experimental images of authigenic illites and chlorites from reservoir rocks located offshore Norway have been compared to computer-simulated lattice fringe images based on the multi-slice formalism of solving the Schroedinger equation. The results indicate that an intuitive conception of the mineral imaged combined with energy dispersive X-ray analysis of the same mineral is insufficient in order to discriminate between several different layer silicates.Jahren Jens S., Olsen Arne. Transmission electron microscopy of authigenic layer-silicates from offshore Norway. In: Proceedings of the 9th international Clay Conference, Strasbourg, 1989. Vol V : Industrial applications of clays. Analytical techniques and teaching of clay mineralogy. Strasbourg : Institut de Géologie – Université Louis-Pasteur, 1990. pp. 133-141. (Sciences Géologiques. Mémoire, 89

Transmission electron microscopy of authigenic layer-silicates from offshore Norway

Computer simulations of one-dimensional lattice finge images of various authigenic illites and chlorites indicate several possibilities for misinterpretation of High Resolution Electron Microscopy images of layer silicates. Experimental images of authigenic illites and chlorites from reservoir rocks located offshore Norway have been compared to computer-simulated lattice fringe images based on the multi-slice formalism of solving the Schroedinger equation. The results indicate that an intuitive conception of the mineral imaged combined with energy dispersive X-ray analysis of the same mineral is insufficient in order to discriminate between several different layer silicates.Jahren Jens S., Olsen Arne. Transmission electron microscopy of authigenic layer-silicates from offshore Norway. In: Proceedings of the 9th international Clay Conference, Strasbourg, 1989. Vol V : Industrial applications of clays. Analytical techniques and teaching of clay mineralogy. Strasbourg : Institut de Géologie – Université Louis-Pasteur, 1990. pp. 133-141. (Sciences Géologiques. Mémoire, 89